A Day in the Life of a Pioneer Child: Entertainment, Tacoma in the 1870s (2024)

FAQs

What did kids do for fun in the 1870s? ›

For fun, children would make rag dolls and corn husk dolls to play with, wrap rocks in yarn to make balls, and even use vines or seaweed strips for jump ropes. They played games such as hide-and-seek and tug-of-war. Foot races, hopscotch, marbles, and spinning tops were also popular.

Pioneer kids had to do many chores every day, so that the whole family could have the things they needed. Children helped with the laundry, for example, and that could take a whole day – boiling water for each batch, scrubbing and wringing the laundry by hand, and hanging it out to dry.

Pioneer children had simple toys and games made out of any available materials such as pebbles, rope, pieces of wood and scraps of material. Dolls were made out of scraps of material and wool. Some toys were made of wood. Many of the games they played are still being played today.

The children were depended up upon to do essential family chores such as collecting water, gathering firewood, driving stock animals and looking after younger siblings.

During the late 1860 and 1870s, toy factories turned out tin toys by the tens of millions. Tin horses pulling wagons, fire engines, trains, horses in hoops, and complete kitchens (sometimes equipped with a working water pump) were among the many toys that children received as presents during this time.

People of every class enjoyed all outdoor activities in winter and summer. In the winter they did ice skating, tobagganing and sleigh rides. in summer they played croquet. The middle class and wealthy took part in leisure activities such as dancing and attending theatrical productions.

5:00 pm: When a good campsite with ample water and grass is found, pioneers stop to set up camp for the evening. Wagons are formed into a corral. 6:00 pm: Families unpack and make supper. 7:00 pm: Mothers do chores, men smoke and talk, young people dance.

Most homes had dirt floors, a fireplace, and a chimney, with simple furniture usually made of wood. Towns developed only as more people settled in the area. Beforehand, though, pioneer families had to do all their tasks on their own. They grew crops and raised farm animals for milk, eggs, and meat.

Lunch at school, called 'nooning,' might include cold pancakes, bread with lard, jam or meat sandwiches, hard boiled eggs, dried meat, baked goods like muffins, cookies, and maybe even a slice of cake.

Schools were important, but sometimes the resources weren't available to support a public school. Also, not every child attended school. In 1860, only 30 percent of school-age children in Nebraska attended school. That figure rose as settlement continued — by 1870, 52 percent of Nebraska kids attended school.

What did the Pioneer boys do? ›

Boys worked with their fathers in the field: gaining experience behind the plow, chopping fire wood, harvesting crops and generally doing a man's work. Girls learned very quickly to do the work of women: cooking, sewing and caring for the younger children.

Covered wagons were filled with supplies for the journey and the family's most prized possessions. And, there was little room for toys. So, the children often played games together for which little or no equipment was needed.

Life in the 1800s

Before the Victorian era, children as young as 6 or 8 years old might work in a mill or factory, they might run errands and make deliveries for a store keeper, they may be apprenticed to a skilled craftsman or woman, or they could be hired out as a servant.

Food for the trip had to be compact, lightweight, and nonperishable. Each family brought along such staples as flour, sugar, cornmeal, coffee, dried beans, rice, bacon, and salt port. Some also brought dried fruit. Mealtime on the Oregon Trail was goverened by the sun...

The pioneers were the first people to settle in the frontiers of North America. Many of the pioneers were farmers. Others moved west, wanting to establish a business. There were doctors, blacksmiths, ministers, shop owners, lawyers, veterinarians, and many others.

Board games such as Snakes and Ladders, Ludo and Draughts were popular indoor games. Outdoors, Victorian children played with toys like hoops, marbles and skipping ropes, with friends in the street, or in the school playground. They played chasing games such as Tag, Blind Man's Bluff, and played catch with balls.

Children would share toys such as hoops, marbles and skipping ropes. Other games included tag and hopscotch – which are still played in schools and playgrounds today.

Games like cards, chess, checkers, and dominoes could be played for money or simply for fun, were quiet, and easily carried in a knapsack.

Children were expected to take on chores around the house as soon as they could help. Small children, even as young as 4 or 5 years old, had chores such as keeping the fire going, fetching water, and caring for livestock. Even families who lived in towns often owned chickens or horses.